The present invention is in the field of test die packaging solutions for reliability and parametric testing. In particular, the present invention relates to a system including a strip-shaped package to hold a die, and a socket to accept the package such that the die is both mechanically and electrically coupled to test equipment for the reliability and parametric testing.
Conventional test die packaging solutions for reliability and parametric testing utilize expensive and complicated vessels that can be mated with many industry standard socket solutions. For example, common socket solutions accept either 300 mil or 600 mil width packages, can range anywhere from four pins to greater than 40 pins, and are composed of ceramic materials for high temperature testing and plastic materials for non temperature accelerated testing.
Conventional packaging solutions, in the most common cases, also only allow the mounting of a single die per package. This single die per package configuration not only adds to the high cost of the overall testing process, but also results in a relatively large amount of waste. Although some users will recycle the ceramic packages when testing at low temperatures (such as below 125° C.), many users are leery of the practice, due to the unknown reliability of the package connection and bonding combination. It is likely no users will recycle packages used during high temperature testing, and even when the user intends and desires to recycle the packages, it is not always possible to do so due to the ease with which the packages may be damaged in use.
We now refer to FIG. 1 and describe a conventional package level testing apparatus 100 that utilizes a dual in-line package configuration. The package normally includes a single die 102 that can, in turn, include many different test structures or devices. Certain points on the die 102 are connected electrically, such as by bonding, to the conduction paths 104 on the package 105. The conduction paths 104 on the package 105 are electrically connected to the leads 106 of the package, which, once inserted into a socket (not shown in FIG. 1), are the normal contact points between the bonding of the die and the socket.
Among other things, the socket acts as an interface between a package and a piece of test equipment referred to as “Device Under Test board (DUT board)”. For example, the socket may be permanently affixed to the DUT board, which enables the populated package (e.g., configured such as shown in FIG. 1) to be flexibly mated to and unmated from the DUT board.
FIG. 2 shows a conventional socket 202 configured to accept a conventional dual in-line package 204, such as that shown in FIG. 1, populated with a die 206. There are many different solutions for this type of socket. For example, the socket 202 shown in FIG. 2 is configured to accept both 300 mil and 600 mil type packages. Although there are many different conventional sockets, suitable for various temperatures, high insertion force to zero insertion force, 300 mil to 600 mil and an endless range of pin numbers, the ones used in reliability/parametric testing are generally based on an industry standard dual in-line package (DIP) configuration as shown.